NAACP speaker describes his life's journey

Alex Heeb • Alex.Heeb@hearstil.com

Published
11:11 am CDT, Friday, June 8, 2018

EDWARDSVILLE – Hundreds gathered last weekend for the Edwardsville Branch NAACP's Annual Freedom Fund Banquet, which featured Anthony Kiekow – a public relations specialist, and former Fox 2 St. Louis journalist – as the keynote speaker.

The formal occasion, which was held at the Meridian Ballroom at SIUE, is in its 54th year, and gives local NAACP members a chance to celebrate progress and recognize individuals who have made significant achievements and contributions to the community. This year's theme, which was "pursuing justice in times like these," complemented Kiekow's speech, which focused on his journey from troubled youth to a successful professional.

"When I was 15 years old, I dropped out of high school," Kiekow said. "I didn't understand the value of education and I didn't understand the value of life. I spent the next three years hanging out on the streets with other high school dropouts and criminals. I vividly recall the very first time I was robbed at gunpoint. Yes, it happened more than once. The first time I was somewhere I shouldn't have been, doing something I shouldn't have been doing."

The low point of Kiekow's teenage years, he said, was when a drug habit he picked up caused his mother to be evicted from her apartment.

"That happened when I was 17," he said. "Bringing drugs into our housing complex was against the rules, but I refused to follow the rules. The pain and disappointment that covered my mother's face when she read the eviction notice is a memory etched in my mind. She was doing her best to raise two black boys on her own in America. The odds were not in her favor, and I seemed to be doing my best to make sure she failed."

Kiekow's life began to change, however, when he became a father at age 18.

"Fatherhood sparked a shift in my mentality," he said. "It helped me understand the value of life. It helped develop what I consider the most important aspect of any positive contributor to our society – good character."

Kiekow earned his GED, which helped him to get a job cleaning hotel ballrooms. With the encouragement of several role models he met on the job, Kiekow enrolled in an English class at a local community college, which helped him to discover a passion in writing. After two years of working at the hotel while taking night classes, he won a scholarship to the University of Minnesota Journalism School. In spite of the difficulties of going to school while raising a child, and being a non-traditional student, Kiekow graduated with a degree in journalism.

"I can still hear the tremble in my mother's voice when she said, 'Anthony, I'm proud of you,'" he said.

Since then, Kiekow has interned for the U.S. Congress, served as a journalist for several television stations across the country and acted as public relations director for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. Today he is Executive Director of Communications for Riverview Gardens School District in North St. Louis. Kiekow began sharing his story after the Ferguson unrest, as a way of showing young people that there is a way out of seemingly hopeless circumstances.

"We can't give up on people who have made mistakes in their lives," he said. "Today I challenge all of you to reaffirm your belief in our community. A belief that positive change is always possible..."

In addition to the speech, several honors were also awarded. Community Service Awards were given to the Edwardsville, Glen Carbon and SIUE police departments and the Madison County Sheriff's Department. Alexander Fox, athletic director at District 7, was given the Oustanding Educator Award. Physhawne Donald, who owns Shon A's Salon, was given the Minority Business Award. Retired Principal Debra Pitts of Civic Memorial High School received the President's Award. A number of scholarships were also given out.